Geoege w



(Model) G. WIB'URGESS. TABLE-FOR SEWING AND OTHER MAGHINES.

No. 248,085. Patented Oct. 11,1881; I

N. PETERS, Fholvhlhognxphnr. Washington, D. c.

UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFIcE.

GEORGE W. BURGESS, or BoSToN, MASS., ASSIGNOR To THE MANHATTAN 0ABINET MANUFACTURING COMPANY, O NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 2, 18,085, dated October 11, I881.

' Application filed December 13, 1880. (Model) To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE W. BURGESS, of Boston, in the county of Sufiolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tables for Sewing and other Machines and Instruments, of which the following is aspeci'fication.

My invention relates to tables which have in the top aholeor opening, in which is pivoted a top portion which may be swung or turned upon its pivots or trunnions so as to bring either side uppermost, whereby provision is afforded for bringing a sewing or other light machine attached to one side of said top portion in position for use, or for concealing said machine beneath the table and bringing the other side of said top portion uppermost -to form a library or other table. When the top of the table is turned so as to bring uppermost asewin g-machine an aperture is necessary in the top for the passage of the driving-band; and themvention consists in a novel arrangement of a hinged flap for closing Said aperture when the pivoted top is turned to conceal the machine below the table, and in novel'devices for opening or raising saidflap as thetopis turned to bring the machine into position for use and for closing and holding the flap closed as the said top is reversed in position.

The invention also consists in the combination, with a table having a pivoted top portion adapted to he turned upside down,and having an aperture in said pivoted portion, and a machine secured upon said pivoted portion of aflywheel arranged below the top upon a stationary pivot, a driving-band passing through said aperture, and a novel form of guard and guide for retaining the driving-band in such a position, when the pivoted top portion is reversed to conceal the machine, that the band will be caused'to assume its proper position on the flya transverse Section of thetable upon thedot ted linew m, Fig. 1. ,Fig. 3 represents a plan of the table with the side of the pivoted top to' which the machine is attached uppermost, but having the machine removed. Fig. 4is a plan of the table with the covered side of the pivoted top uppermost, also showing in dotted outline the position of the said top when turned into a vertical position in the act of reversing it. Fig. 5 represents a sectional view, upon a larger scale, of a portion of the pivoted top portion and frame, with the hinged flap turned to open the aperture for the driving-band; and Fig. 6 represents a similar view with thepivoted top portion reversed and the aperture closed by the flap.

Similar letters of reference designate corre' sponding parts in all the figures.-

A designates a marginal portion or frame, which surrounds the top of the table, and is supported by an inclosed case, B, of any .desirable form. This frame is commonly made of hard wood and veneered, varnished, or finished in any suitably manner, so as to present a handsome appearance. The 'said frame is only a few inches wide and surrounds the central or body portion of the top O, which, in library-tables, frequently has a different surface from the frame A, which surface may be produced bycovering the portion G with cloth or other material, as here shown, or by making it of difi'erent wood or other material, or by finishing or decorating its surface in a manner different from the frame A.

The body or central portion of the top 0, instead of being rigidly fixed in the frame A, is Secured by pivots or trunnions a at opposite sides or ends, so as to be free to he turned to present either side uppermost. The, side of the portion 0 which -is intended to be upper: most when the table'is for ordinaryuse isthe one which has a different surface from the frame A, and the reverse side thereof may or may not be covered, or have adifierent surface, as may be desirable.

The pivoted portion 0 of the top may .be made in any suitable manner; but I prefer to make it of several thicknesses of veneer arranged with crossed grain, as when thus made it is not likely to crack or warp.

It will be observed that the entire top of the portion 0 ofthe table-top which has a surface different from that of the frame A is reversible, and that therefore the joint between the pivoted portion 0 and the frame is rendered much less noticeable than it would be if the opening for the pivoted portion was in and surrounded by the portion 0 havingadif' ferent surface from the frame.

Though this table is chiefly intended for sewing-machines, any other similar light machines might be mounted upon the pivoted portion 0 and reversed, as might be desired, and indeed one surface of the top Q might have attached to it an instrument or instruments of any kind, and be adapted to be turned or reversed to bring the instruinentor instruments into view and to convenient position for use.

The top 0 is preferably provided with means for preventing it from being turned in but one direction in reversing it, and with a catch of some sort for holding the top securely in either of the positions to which it may be adjusted. When the machine is uppermost the front edge, 0, of said top 0 is intended tobe turned downward and over in reversing the top, and the stop here represented consists of a pin or projection, 1), upon the end of the top O,whieh, when said side of the top is uppermost, projects in a recess, 1), on the under side of the frame A, and prevents the top from being turned, except in such a direction that the front edge, 0, will be depressed. Vhen the machine is below the top the said pin b projects into a recess, b in the under side of the frame A. The stop I) prevents the pivoted top from being turned in the wrong direction when reversing it, and also prevents it from being turned too far in the right direction.

The catch which I have represented for holding the top in either of the positions to which it may be adjusted is composed of a socket, D, adapted to lit into a recess in the front of the frame A, as shown in Fig. 2, and a bolt fitting and adapted to be moved longitudinally in the same.

The bolt may be drawn out by a hand-piece, i, to rcleasethe pivoted top, and is impelled into engagement therewith by a spring.

When the table is designed for any machine in which it is not necessary for a driving-band to pass through the top 0, the table, as above described, is complete; but where a sewingmachine is to be attached the top 0 has an aperture for the passage of the band or belt while the machine is being used and a flap for closing said aperture when the top 0 is reversed to conceal the machine.

F designates an outline of a sewing-machine head attached to the pivoted top 0 a little nearer the right-hand end of the top than the left hand thereof, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

G designates a fly-wheel pivoted to a suitable support under the table, and carrying a crank, G, adapted to be rotated by a treadle, G, and rod G From said fly-wheel motion is' imparted to the pulley j of the machine by a band or belt, k, passing through an aperture, 1, at the end of the top 0. (Most clearly shown in Fig. 3.) The aperture lis formed by cutting away the top 0 at one end for a portion of its width, and by cutting a notch, l, in rear of or at the end of the adjacent trunnion, a.

In order to close the aperture 1, I provide a flap, H, extending entirely across the top (J, and hinged at its inner edge to the top by the cloth covering of the said top, or in any other suitable manner. Theflap H is fitted in arabbet, m, in the end ofthe top 0, and when turned down into said rabbet is flush with the cloth-covered side of the top, and also flush with the end thereof. The flap H is intended to be automaticail y opened or turned down at an angle to the top as the top 0 is turned to bring the machine F uppermost into position for use, and to be automatically closed or folded into the rabbet m as the top 0 is reversed to bring the cloth covered side uppermost. The means which might be employed for accomplishing these results are various; but I have here represented a pin, a, projecting inward from the frame A at one side of and somewhat below the right-hand pivot or trunnion a. When the top 0 is turned from theposition shown in Fig.4, with its cloth-covered side uppermost, the end thereof being cut away to form the aperture 1 clears the pin a; but the flap H covering said aperture strikes said pin, and as the turning of the top continues is deflected or turned back by said pin into a position at right angles to the top 0, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, in dotted outline in Fig. 4, and more clearly in Fig. 5, and is held in such position while the turning of the top is completed and the machineis uppermost, as is also seen in Fig. 1. During the return movement of the top 0 the pin n releases said flap and permits it to be folded or closed down into the rabbet m, in which position it is held while the clothcovered side of the top is uppermost by a pin, 0, projecting from the edge of the flap H and extending under the edge of the frame A into a recess, 0, provided for its reception, and shown dotted in Figs. 3 and 4 and clearly in Fig. 6.

To still further insure the automatic closing of the flap, I employ a spring, 1?, connecting said flap with the top 0. When the top 0 is turned over to conceal the machine the band or belt will be loosened upon the flyv-wheelG and pulley j, and to prevent it from being displaced or falling off said fly-wheel I employ a guard, I, composed of a bow-shaped or forked piece extending upon opposite sides of the flywheel and belt and attached to the frame of the table.

The guard I is fixed so that the space between its two arms or sides is just below the fly-wheel, and when the belt is slackened by the turning of the pivoted top portion it drops down between the two arms of the guard I. Thus it will be seen that the guard also forms a guide to guide the belt in its return, or while being raised, and insures the return of the belt to its proper position on the fly-wheel.

VVhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a sewing-machine table, with a pivoted top portion'on which is mounted a sewing-machine, and which is provided with an aperture for the passage of a belt for driving said machine, of a hinged flap for closing said aperture when the top portion is turned to conceal the machine, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, in a table, of a frame, a top portion pivoted therein so as to be turned upside down, and having one end cut away to form an aperture, ahinged flap for closing said aperture, and a pin or projection projecting.

from said frame, with which the said flap engages as the said top portion is turned in one direction, whereby said aperture is automatically opened, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of aframe, A, a pivoted top portion, 0, adapted to be turned upside down and having one end cut away to form an aperture, 1, a hinged flap, H, upon said top portion, the pin nforholding said flap to open said aperture, and the pin 0 for holding said flap to close said aperture, substantially as specified. 4. The combination of a frame, A, a pivoted top portion, 0, adapted to be turned upside down, and having one end cutaway to form an aperture, 1, a hinged flap, H, a pin, n, for acting upon said flap to open said aperture, and a spring for moving the flap to close said aperture, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of a frame, a pivoted top portion adapted to be turned upside down, a sewing-machine attached to said top portion, a fiy-wheelbelow said top portion, a belt passing through an aperture in said top portion, and a forked or slotted guard and guide, I, for retaining said belt upon the fly-wheel, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

GEORGE W. BURGESS. 

